Taking a long moment to compose himself, Bernard closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before letting it out as a sigh. The threat was gone, and Maxine was safe for the time being. But now there was the matter of her curiosity. While there was always the option of simply remaining silent and returning to the shadows, he felt that he finally owed her some explanation. The night was not so empty as he had left her to think, and he no longer wished to wander it alone.

“Yes,” he says finally, opening his eyes again to regard Maxine. “I am the one who made you what you are now. My name is Bernard.” Moving slowly, he walks over to his discarded weapon to retrieve it. Flopping the cylinder open with a lazy flick of his wrist, his fishes around in his coat pockets for a handful of loose rounds to reload the gun. Properly re-armed, he returns the revolver to his coat pocket.

"Are you okay?" Bernard asks in return, now walking slowly to stand at Maxine's side. Crouching next to her, he offers a hand to help her to her feet.